The Rain & Shine of Week 1

It’s been one week since I’ve been overseas and I’ve seen fluctuations in my environment, and experienced them in myself.

A combination of brighter and darker, warmer and colder moments. Any experience that we go through, better or worse, can be leveraged into a position of insight if we pay due attention to how we are experiencing the situation, as well as the situation itself.

An example being the afternoon heat. Where I feel lethargic and uncomfortable, others here feel quite lucky to have such pleasant weather as they go about their day. I could draw from this that it is simply too hot, or perhaps acknowledge I have a poor tolerance towards heat and don’t take adequate steps to keep myself hydrated.

Better examples include;

On a tightly run schedule with limited alone time, I’ve got to see how I can get frustrated and impatient at times. Growing up in such a privilege country, I’ve got to see how unknowingly accustomed I have become to certain benefits such as hot showers and types of food. Certain routines such as my fitness, medtiation, time spent with certain types of people, have become a tight clutch, limiting my ability to adjust and survive without those comforts and conditions.

I’ve learned that when faced with an unknown territory, it’s almost a natural instinct for me to advance slowly ,if not run completely. If it’s a unknown task , then I may doubt my ability and anticipate my failure before trying.

Previously aware, these were a few of the issues I wanted to address by taking this journey and plunge in the first place.

Being amongst those who are already here has also been immensely beneficial.

Their passion exhibited by overcoming their own obstacles and working towards the task at hand has taught me how to shine brighter. Even if it is raining, I’m learning to see past the clouds.

Simply, yet beautifully said by another volunteer tonight: “Embrace the change and the chance to be out of your comfort zone while it lasts”